Barker NY •Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquabike, Relay

CANCELLED

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Swim

The course will be a simple two buoy course. Triathletes will execute a beach start on a smooth pebble bottom with a gradual slope. Swimmers will swim out a short distance and turn ninety degrees around the first marker, then swim parallel to shore to the second buoy, one-half mile away. Swimmers will round the second buoy and return to the entry point on the beach to complete their one mile swim leg. (50 Milers will complete a 1/2 mile swim, turning at the first buoy, 1/4 mile from the starting point.)

The direction of the course (east to west) will be determined by the direction of the surface current on the morning of the event. For maximum safety, swimmers will swim against the current for the first half-mile. In this manner, swimmers will benefit from the current on the return portion of their swim.

Bike

Eighty four miles of cycling bliss. You'll experience the tranquility and peacefulness of pure New York State countryside in Autumn. As you depart Camp Kenan, your bike route will quickly turn southward, away from Lake Ontario through apple and cherry orchards, past Quaker farms and into small-town, America. The vast majority of the 42 mile loop boasts smooth asphalt road surfaces and flat topography. (50 Milers will complete only one 42 mile loop of the bike course.)

About fifteen miles into the loop, a mild climb takes you to the top of the Niagara Escarpment and treats you to a quick roller coaster descent as you pass through the city of Lockport, NY and cross the historic Erie Canal which runs 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo, NY.

Another dozen or so miles down the road, you'll head north once again through the countryside until you reach your old friend, Lake O'. Your ride along the lakeshore will feature a high bridge crossing over 18 Mile Creek, a tributary to Lake Ontario, with a classic view of Olcott harbor and a handful of Niagara wineries...perfect spots for your family and supporters to taste the region's vine while awaiting their chance to cheer you on.

Run

The highlight of your 15 mile run will be the "Thirty Mile Point" lighthouse in Golden Hill State Park. Thirty miles east of the mouth of the Niagara River, Lake Ontario's main tributary, the point is the northernmost point on Lake Ontario's southern shore. The Thirty Mile Point lighthouse was constructed in 1875 after at least four ships were sunk by the shallow reef near this point including one ship belonging to the French explorer LaSalle in 1678. The most tragic loss appears to be the schooner H.M.S. Ontario which set sail from Fort Niagara on Halloween of 1780 carrying 88 passengers and $15,000 in gold and silver. The Ontario ran aground on the reef off Thirty Mile Point in blizzard conditions. There were no survivors.

The lighthouse was restored and refurbished in 1995 to spectacular condition and stands as an operational beacon for ships sailing Lake Ontario as well as an historically significant tour destination for Great Lakes enthusiasts and history buffs. For you, it will be a land mark of the final leg of your 100 Mile Triathlon and another opportunity to savor the beauty of Western New York in early Autumn.

The remainder of the run course is mostly flat with a few gently rolling hills through orchards, farm land and past lake front homes along the southern shore of the majestic Lake Ontario. The run course also features a very short trail section as you pass through Golden Hill State Park. Aid stations will provide water, sports drink, gel and bananas every 1 mile on the run course. Sports drink and gels provided by HAMMER Nutrition.